More Yankee dollars on offer at Anfield

JUST when Liverpool are in need of a major confidence boost after two successive defeats, boardroom issues are threatening to destabilise Rafa Benitez’s faltering team.

After months of uncertainty over the €262 million debt with which Americans Tom Hicks and George Gillett have burdened the club and an ultimatum from Royal Bank of Scotland to find €111 million of outside investment, Liverpool’s ownership is once again in question.

A New York-based private equity firm, the Rhone Group, have offered €131 million to buy a 40% stake. The money would be used to slash the club’s debt, making Liverpool a more attractive option for further investors.